An email from the apartment management was sent out to residents, informing them no harm was done. Officials advised them to be aware of their surroundings before opening doors for visitors.

“People pull random pranks,” Tellez said. “I thought this was just something else that someone decided to do, but now they have weapons and are trying to assault people.”

The clowns prevent people from doing everyday tasks without fearing a clown will harm them.

“I usually go skate at night when there is no one at the park, and now I fear for my life sometimes,” Rodriguez said.

Some who never had a phobia of clowns now have to deal with stress of a possible encounter.

“I was having nightmares about clowns coming after me and thinking about the fact that they are trying to do harm is scary enough,” Tellez said.

Students did not want to believe the hype about clown sightings until it started happening in San Marcos.

“I thought it was just going to be some sort of fad,” Rodriguez said. “Later on, there were reports that clowns started being hostile. It made me wonder like, ‘okay we need to do something about it, not like go clown hunting, but to take precautions.’”

Matt Flores, University spokesman, said there is an active report involving the clown assault.

“It is something our police department is taking seriously,” Flores said. “With as much activity as there has been on social media, this bears our greatest scrutiny.”